Effect of Sowing Depth and Media on Seed Germination of Ailanthus excelsa Roxb

Ailanthus excelsa Roxb. (Simaroubaceae) is a lofty deciduous tree, widely distributed in the country. The seeds, being very light and winged, place early in the first rainy season after the fall of the seed: but the seedlings rarely survive due to the sensitiveness of the seedlings and their intolerance towards heavy weed growth. In the present investigation, Germination experiments were conducted on seeds of Ailanthus excelsa sown in different growth substrates at varying depths. Germination percentage, germination energy and germination values were all greatest when seeds were sown at a depth of 0.5 cm depth and lowest when sown at 1.5 cm depth.